


the way he leaves

by slackeuse



Category: Produce 101 (TV), Wanna One (Band)
Genre: M/M, Nothing Explicit Happens, and i guess there's a bit of angst bc it's me lol, it's fluff, the good faithful college AU, yes it's ongnielwink
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-17
Updated: 2017-09-17
Packaged: 2018-12-30 19:54:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,014
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12116058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/slackeuse/pseuds/slackeuse
Summary: Kang Daniel and Ong Seongwoo are best friends who are in love with the same boy, so they make a bet on who can get Park Jihoon to say yes to a date. They didn’t bet on being in love with each other, too.





	the way he leaves

**Author's Note:**

> a note on ages:  
> just figure they took off whatever time between high school and college and/or had to take breaks during school to scrap up enough money for another year so that their age differences remain, but Seongwoo and Daniel are both seniors while Jihoon and Woojin are juniors.

love will come  
and when love comes  
love will hold you  
love will call your name  
and you will melt  
_(…)_

 

 

_...ᴍᴏɴᴅᴀʏ 10:31ᴀᴍ_

It starts with a boy.

"You think Park Jihoon is cute, don't you."

Daniel knows that isn't a question. He knows it isn't a joke. For fuck's sake, how does he end up liking the same boy as his best friend every time? At first, he doesn't want to meet Seongwoo's gaze, but then he decides to hell with it. What's the worst that can happen? One of them will have to back off, and to be honest, it'll probably be him. Seongwoo deserves to be happy. He deserves to do whatever he wants with whoever he wants, and Daniel will sure as shit be supportive.

"You too?" Daniel asks. "That's fine. I mean. We've always known we've both had good taste. We both liked Jaehwan, too. And Minhyun."

Seongwoo is a little too quiet, but then Daniel realizes that it's because he's staring at Jihoon from across the room. He's sitting in the first row, near the window, next to another junior. They look close. Part of Daniel would really like to waltz over there and sit on Jihoon's desk right in front of him and tease the living shit out of him.

"I mean," Daniel continues just as Jihoon glances up at him for a split second before returning his attention to their lecture, "you ended up with both of them, but that's fine? Yeah, I think Jihoon's cute, but you do, too, and so I'm okay just watching you try to persuade him into your bed."

"Why, though?" Seongwoo turns to him now. He messes up his hair in just the way that makes Daniel want to run his hands through it. "If you'd tried with Jaehwan or Minhyun instead of backing off like a twelve-year-old with their first crush, we probably would've had a stiff competition. That I would've still won. But you would've been in the running. Probably."

Daniel gives him a dry chuckle. "Right. Why try if you'll just win them over in the end." He rolls his eyes. "Do you want me to go for Jihoon, then? Are you going to back off this time?"

"Fuck no." Seongwoo grins, and Daniel feels whatever resolve he may have had weaken a little. He's too damn handsome for his own good, especially when it's clear he's making a bet he's sure he can win. "Why don't we both go after him."

Again, not a question.

"Are you sure?" Daniel asks and returns the grin because he's pretty sure this isn't a bet Seongwoo can actually win. Because it isn't Seongwoo that Jihoon steals glances of all class. It's Daniel. He's not going to tell that to his best friend, though, because Seongwoo doesn't like making bets he thinks he'll lose.

Leaning backwards in his chair, Seongwoo stretches his arms. Cocky little shit. "Let's both ask him out and see what happens."

"And if he rejects one of us?"

"Then the other wins."

"What does the winner get? Besides a date with Jihoon."

"What about your favorite? An IOU."

Jihoon glances back again, then lowers his eyes as if he weren't seeking out Daniel. Daniel offers Seongwoo a handshake. "Good luck, hyung."

 

 

 

_...ᴛᴜᴇꜱᴅᴀʏ 2:11ᴘᴍ_

Seongwoo didn't tell Daniel that he knows exactly where Jihoon works. It's a cafe he passes when he wants to take the long way home, when he's stressed as all fuck and needs the fresh air to clear his head and order his priorities in his mind.

He takes the long way today, and sure enough, Jihoon is in his black and white uniform behind the counter, looking as dashing and ethereal as he always does.

"Seongwoo hyung." He licks his lips, a little nervous habit that Seongwoo's noticed the last few months he's frequented the cafe. It's distracting as fuck. "You haven't been in all week. I was wondering when you'd stop in. Your usual?" He grabs a cup and a pen, poises a hand to write down Seongwoo's order.

"Well, here I am, in all my glory." Seungwoo steps in front of the counter and sends Jihoon his best smirk. If here wasn't all the space between them, he'd pull Jihoon into a hug instead. "No need to worry about it anymore. And yeah, same as normal. I'm actually going to hang around a while, so you want to put that in a glass for here?"

"Yeah, sure." Jihoon puts the cup back and reaches for a white porcelain one instead. "Are you super stressed or do you just have a lot of time to kill?"

He could lie. Saying he's stressed could elicit some good sympathy, but Jihoon doesn't seem to be the type to accept a date out of sympathy. With a face like that, he's probably been asked out a hundred times. Especially as a barista. He has to do better than that.

"Neither, actually." Maybe the truth is what'll hook him. "I wanted to see you, so here I am."

Jihoon seems to freeze. It doesn't take long for his face to flush and all Seongwoo wants to do is reach out a fingertip to feel how hot he's made his cheeks feel. "Shut up. No, you didn't."

"Pretty sure that's why I'm here. Why? You don't want me to be?"

"No, I do." Somehow, he says this without stuttering or blushing more. He clarifies, "I do want you to be here. But you saw me yesterday in class and you'll see me tomorrow in class. Coming in just to see me sounds ridiculous. Just saying. Also, your drink will be $2.50."

Digging into his pocket, Seongwoo grabs his wallet for cash. "Why's that sound ridiculous to you? Maybe I want to get to know you better."

"So you come to my work place? That's really effective, hyung." He takes the money, gives Seongwoo the change, and then moves to get started on his Americano, grinding enough espresso for the shots.

"Isn't it, though? I've found out that you blush pretty easily."

He reddens. "I don't."

Seongwoo chuckles. "Do you need a mirror?"

"No."

"There is another reason I came, so I guess you're not entirely wrong."

Jihoon rolls his eyes now as he arranges the shot glasses for the espresso. He also licks his lips. "So then what is it really?"

"Really really? You want to know?"

"Hyung." He pours the shots into the porcelain cup, then pours hot water over it, saving room for a dash of soy milk and a hint of vanilla. He sets the cup on the counter then meets Seongwoo's gaze.

Jihoon's eyes are too fucking pretty. They're precisely what Seongwoo noticed about him first. The kid's actually pretty good at hiding what's on his mind, but his eyes show everything if you catch him in just the right moment. The only problem is that he's not easy to read like Daniel, but he wouldn't like Jihoon if he were like Daniel. His eyes are a universe he has yet to explore, and he wants to delve into them, wants to unbury Jihoon's soul from within those starry depths.

"I came to ask you out on a date," Seongwoo says, casually as though he didn't just make Jihoon's jaw slack, didn't make his eyes widen, didn't make him take a half-step backward like maybe he'd gotten too close to something he wasn't sure couldn't hurt him. There's something so vulnerable in his reaction that Seongwoo steps forward and takes his wrist into his hand. Carefully. "You don't have to answer right away. I'm going to be here for a while. I have a shitload of reading to do for class tomorrow. But—"

"Okay," Jihoon answers, and even he seems surprised by it. He moves his wrist out of Seongwoo's grasp and instead they're holding hands. "I-I'll go. Saturday?"

How can Jihoon's hands be so soft? How can this simple contact make Seongwoo want to jump the fucking counter and kiss the shit out of him. He just smiles, runs his finger along the side of Jihoon's hand so he can watch him shiver a little.

"Saturday sounds perfect."

 

 

 

_...ᴛᴜᴇꜱᴅᴀʏ 7:31ᴘᴍ_

Daniel's glad he never mentioned to Seongwoo that he shares a second class with Jihoon. He didn't mention it at first because he was thinking of dropping it. Who the fuck wants to take History of Costume? But after checking out his other options to tick off his art requirement, he decided it was absolutely what he wanted to take. It helped that Jihoon was of the same mind. Now they suffer together, and it's better than anything else Daniel could've chosen.

They pack up their textbooks together after class, and Daniel follows Jihoon out of the room so he can hold open the door for him and follow him down the hall.

“Daniel hyung.” Jihoon turns to him as they walk. "Did you get the reading done for tomorrow's class? It's fucking hard."

"Almost all done. It's—yeah. There's a reason I sit in the back." He gives a little laugh, and when Jihoon joins him, his chest lightens a little. Jihoon's laugh is a quick couple of bursts that sound like pure damn happiness.

"So you just sleep back there, hyung?" Jihoon asks.

Daniel gives him a few little hits on the shoulder as he laughs. "No, no, that's not what I meant. And you know that. You little brat."

"You're hurting me."

“Lies.” Daniel wraps an arm around his shoulders and gives him a little shake. God, Jihoon smells good and feels good and it all seems to just be right. "There, better?"

"I-I guess. Are you going to walk me all the way to my apartment like this?" He shifts so he can look up at him. His hair’s a little disheveled from the shaking, but he looks way more comfortable in Daniel’s arms than he expected.

"That sounds like you want me to, so sure."

"That's not what I said."

"But that's what I heard. Is there a difference?" Daniel chuckles.

Normally, this is where he'd drop the question. Jihoon has sent him enough signals by now that he's pretty sure he'll say yes, but something tells him that he should wait for the perfect moment. If he asks now, it'll seem too casual, too planned. If he wants Jihoon to look forward to the date, he'll have to find the perfect moment to ask.

"There is a difference, but if you didn't hear it, it's pointless to try to explain it to you." Jihoon shifts so that Daniel’s hand can hang off his shoulder at just the right height for Jihoon to play with his hand. Even a simple touch for Daniel nearly drives him crazy.

It shouldn’t feel as good as it does to have Jihoon’s fingertips running over knuckles. He wants that delicate touch elsewhere. “Okay, don’t explain it to me. That’s fine with me.” He flashes the kid a big smile, one of his biggest, one of the ones that even make Seongwoo weak at the knees sometimes. “You should sit with me in the back though. Better A/C. Better acoustics. Less spit.”

Jihoon laughs at that. “With you and Seongwoo hyung?”

Oh, right, that’d help Seungwoo out, wouldn’t it? “Yeah. Why not?”

“Because then I’d be ditching my best friend. So how about no.”

Daniel hisses as if he’s been hurt and puts a hand over his heart, but now his interest is piqued. So he is close with the kid he sits next to in class. Further investigation is necessary. “That was harsh. So that’s your best friend? What’s his name?”

“What’s it matter to you, hyung? You and Seongwoo hyung are close, right? And you two stick together. Not only in class, but whenever I see you on campus, the other one isn’t far off. I didn’t think I’d ever see either of you separate, but I guess pigs can fly.”

Daniel raises an eyebrow. “We only take one class together a quarter if we can help it. We were roommates our freshman year and then we just never stopped, so if we had too many classes together, we’d probably get sick of each other.”

“Just never stopped,” Jihoon repeats as though he wants to chew over the words a bit more. Then he licks his lips and Daniel has to close his eyes for a second so he doesn’t just keep staring at them. “I thought you two were dating for the longest time.”

“What? No. We’re not. We’re just friends.” For some reason, Daniel’s heart is going crazy. Just from a pair of lips? As if he’s never seen a pair before, let alone touched? Well, fuck it. “In fact, I was thinking of asking you out.”

Jihoon stops in his tracks and tightens his grip on Daniel’s hand. “You what?”

“Have you never been asked out on a date before?”

“No—I mean. Yes, I’ve been asked out. Plenty of times, for your information. Too many to count.” He’s blushing now and he can’t make eye contact and it’s way too fucking adorable. “You’re just maybe the last person I thought would ask. How about Saturday?”

Why would Jihoon think Daniel wouldn’t ask him out?

Reaching across Jihoon’s body, Daniel gives him a side-hug that nearly engulfs Jihoon’s entire body. There’s something about the way that Jihoon’s body fits against his that’s addicting. “Yes. Saturday is perfect.”

 

 

 

_ᴛᴜᴇꜱᴅᴀʏ 10:13ᴘᴍ_

Seongwoo cracks open a beer for Daniel when he hears him unlocking the front door. Except when he spots that big ass smile on his face, he’s tempted to chug it himself. Did he already make a move? When in the fuckity fuck fuck did he do that?

“Daniel, hey,” he calls from the couch as if he’s not freaking the fuck out.

“Hey, Seongwoo hyung,” Daniel greets as he closes the door behind him. He drops his backpack where he’s standing and shuffles to the couch, collapsing onto it so that his head falls into Seongwoo’s lap. “That for me? Thanks.” He grabs the beer, sits up just enough to drink it.

“So,” Seongwoo starts.

“Yeah, he said yes.”

Seongwoo makes sure he’s watching Daniel’s stupid face when he says, “Well, he told me yes, too.”

Daniel takes a few very long moments, but it doesn’t bother Seongwoo because, fuck it, he likes watching Daniel think just like he enjoys watching dogs choose between two bones to chew on. “So…?”

“We’ll have to go on the date and see who he wants to go on a second date with. Not like we haven’t fit in as many dates into a week as possible before. It’s not like he had to pick one of us right away.” Seongwoo finishes off his beer, then takes the closest can—the one in Daniel’s hand—to drink some more.

“What if he goes on a second date with both of us?”

“At some point, he’s going to get more serious about either you or me. Or neither of us.”

Daniel sighs and rolls onto his back, his head resting against Seongwoo’s thigh. He laces his fingers together over his chest. “But if we just keep letting this go on, one of us might really fall in love with him, and what if that’s not who he chooses in the end? I don’t want to get hurt. And I definitely don’t want you to get hurt.”

Was that why Daniel backed off of Jaehwan and Minhyun so easy before? Seongwoo brushes some hair away from Daniel’s forehead. “Do you think you could fall for him?”

“Maybe.” He thinks a bit more. “Yeah.”

That means it’s Seongwoo’s turn to back off. “Then if he agrees to go on a second date with you, he’s yours. But if he says yes to both of us again, then we’ll have to confront him and see if he’s just playing around. You are not going to date someone who’s just going to fuck with you.”

“You don’t think you could fall for him?” Daniel meets Seongwoo’s eyes.

And it takes everything in Seongwoo to control his expression so it doesn’t betray the ache in his chest or the pit in his stomach. Because yes, he probably could. But there’s only a knife pain near his heart when he thinks about Daniel getting hurt from all of this.

“He’s not really my type. He’s cute, but not really for me I think. Unless he’s fucking amazing in bed. You know me.”

“Yeah, which is why I think he’s totally your type and totally for you. Nice try.” Daniel steals back his beer and sits up. “We don’t have to make a decision right now. Let’s see how the dates go?” He lifts the can to imitate a cheer, takes a gulp, then offers the can back to Seongwoo. “Deal?”

“Deal,” he says, but he only half means it. He finishes off the can. “Game of Thrones?”

“Fuck yes.”

 

 

 

_...ᴡᴇᴅɴᴇꜱᴅᴀʏ 10:01ᴀᴍ_

Once class starts, Jihoon makes sure to glance up at Daniel and Seongwoo over his shoulder because they’re both idiots and in love with each other and he’s going to make them realize it even if he has to bang their heads together to do it. Even if he has to sink into this empty feeling in his chest that opened the moment he saw them together for the first time and he realized he didn’t stand a chance with either of them.  

 

 

 

 

 _(…)_  
sometimes though  
love will hurt you but  
love will never mean to  
love plays no games  
cause love knows life  
has been hard enough already  
\- rupi kaur

 

 

 

 

_...ᴛʜᴜʀꜱᴅᴀʏ 9:33ᴀᴍ_

Daniel is heading home after his least favorite class when he spots Jihoon a few steps ahead of him. He’d recognize that backpack anywhere.

“Jihoon,” he says from behind him. “Wait up.”

The kid turns to look over his shoulder, and although Daniel expected him to wonder who was calling out to him, he already has a smile plastered on his face. Daniel is a little flattered he recognized his voice.

Jihoon slows, turns on his heel so he’s walking backward. “Daniel hyung. I’m on the way to work, so I can’t talk long.”

“Work?” Daniel catches up to him, pats the back of his head although he’s wearing his hoodie up. “Where do you work?”

“At a café just off campus.”

He knows he shouldn’t because wouldn’t it be unfair to Seongwoo? But Jihoon is pinning him with that bright smile and he can’t help it. “Why don’t I just walk with you there? I could use some coffee anyway.”

Jihoon chuckles. “Your first drink’s on me, then. When’s your next class?”

“1:30, but I brought my shit with me so I might just end up studying. That okay? Is there space?”

“Yeah. Seongwoo hyung comes in and studies there sometimes. You can have his table.”

Although Daniel gives a chuckle and says, “Sure,” his mind is still processing the fact that Seongwoo has known where Jihoon works for how long? And apparently makes it enough of a habit to study there that he has a particular table? How long has he known Jihoon? Is that where he asked him out? Why didn’t he tell Daniel?

Then it occurs to him that he’s not much better because he’s had a class with Jihoon all semester long and didn’t tell Seongwoo, either.

“Hyung,” Jihoon says, and Daniel snaps back to reality. “Are you alright?”

Jihoon is holding open the door to the café for him and waiting for him to go in. “Yeah.” He laughs and heads inside. The café is small but not cramped. The wood floors seem aged with honey. The smell of espresso hits the back of his tongue, robust and bitter. This is exactly Seongwoo’s type of place. Modern, chic, but comfortable.

“This one’s Seongwoo’s usual spot.” Jihoon touches the table in a small nook to the left. “Why don’t you take a seat and I’ll get changed then make your coffee? What do you want?”

“Thanks.” Daniel sets his backpack on the table. There’s a weird pressure in his chest and he has no idea where it’s from or why it’s there. “Americano, a splash of soy, and a little bit of vanilla.”

Jihoon gives him a faint smile—so faint it could almost be sad. “Okay, coming right up, hyung.”

Without thinking, Daniel touches Jihoon’s shoulder, lets his hand run down his arm. “Thanks.” He’s rewarded by the feel of Jihoon’s shiver under his touch.

“No problem, hyung.” Now when he smiles, his eyes are smiling, too, and Daniel's filled with a desire to stare into his eyes all day long. There has to be some sort of star map in them with the way they catch the light.

“Looking forward to you in your uniform, too. You’re not going to be late now, are you?”

Jihoon gives him a little angry look, but he’s also flushing a little and he looks so adorable. “Get to work, hyung.” He heads off in a bit of a huff, and Daniel isn’t sure how he’s going to leave this kid alone.

 

 

 

_...ᴛʜᴜʀꜱᴅᴀʏ 1:45ᴘᴍ_

The bell above the door chimes when Seongwoo steps into the café Jihoon works at, and Jihoon gives him the same smile as he always does.

“Seongwoo hyung.”

Seongwoo smiles back because he finds his face refusing to do anything else. “Do you give that smile to everyone?”

“Ha. No.” He grabs a porcelain cup. “That smile’s reserved for my favorite customers. Order’s on me today. Are you staying in again?”

That wasn’t the plan. He was supposed to tell Jihoon nevermind on the date and let Daniel have a wonderful time and sweep Jihoon the fuck off his feet. “Yeah. For a few. When do you get off? Five again?”

“Four thirty. I skipped lunch. Don’t tell anyone.” He grins and moves to start making Seongwoo’s drink.

Seongwoo knows he shouldn’t but the words just come out. “Do you want to grab a quick bite to eat afterwards? Nothing formal. But I’m going to be hungry, and I imagine you’ll be hungry.”

“We do have a date on Saturday.” Jihoon flushes, which Seongwoo will never get bored of. “Couldn’t wait?”

“Apparently not. I’ll even pay and make it seem more like a real date.”

At that, Jihoon laughs, and wow, Seongwoo didn’t know how much he’d enjoy making that sound come out of him. It’s like he can’t quite control the glee that just bubbles out from within him fast enough. “Alright. Why not. I have class at six, so it’ll have to be really quick and somewhere near campus, but I’m always starving when I get to class so.”

“Maybe you should think about bringing a snack.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Jihoon finishes off Seongwoo’s Americano and sets it on the counter.

“And thank you for the drink.” He sets his hand on Jihoon’s and the look Jihoon sends him in response tells Seongwoo their impromptu dinner date isn’t going to go the way he hoped it would. Because Jihoon is genuine and charming and beautiful and knows when to talk back to him and when it’s most important for him to laugh at his jokes.

Daniel was right about Jihoon.

Seongwoo ends up walking him all the way to class. “About Saturday—”

“Yeah, we need to figure that out. Let me have your phone, hyung.” Somehow, Seongwoo passes his cell over without a moment’s hesitation, and Jihoon enters in his contact information and texts himself. “Let’s maybe figure out the details tomorrow?”

He should just cancel it now. “Sounds good.”

Jihoon gives him a hug, the type that although Seongwoo is taller and his arms are longer, feels completely whole. It’s the kind of hug Seongwoo would rather not end, the kind of hug he’d look forward to after a long day, the kind of hug that makes him pull Jihoon even closer. Then Jihoon heads inside and Seongwoo turns around to leave, but the door opens again and Jihoon’s eyes are asking.

Fuck it.

Seongwoo smirks, and then he has one hand on Jihoon’s jaw pulling their lips together and another on Jihoon’s waist pulling their hips together. Jihoon fists a bit of Seongwoo’s shirt in a way that tells him how badly he wants this. Their mouths open against each other. Their tongues press together, slide together. At first, Seongwoo is a little surprised by Jihoon’s intensity, the way he fits himself against Seongwoo in all the right ways. Then it just feels too damn good and he wants to slam Jihoon up against a wall and see how else they can puzzle their bodies together.

Jihoon’s the one who pulls away. “Sorry,” he says, a little breathless, voice low and husky. His lips are just swollen enough that Seongwoo can barely look him in the eyes. “I just thought I’d kiss you in case I don’t get another shot.”

Then he disappears into the classroom. Seongwoo presses his fingers to his lips and stares at Jihoon’s afterimage.

 

 

 

_...ᴛʜᴜʀꜱᴅᴀʏ 6:00ᴘᴍ_

Daniel’s not sure what caught his attention first: Jihoon coming into the classroom, locking eyes with him, and then immediately exiting the classroom or Jihoon’s red lips after he returns again. Either way, Daniel spends most of History of Costume (#worstclassever) studying the nape of Jihoon’s neck when he bends over to take notes, his profile when he’s reading the PowerPoint slides (#worstteacherever), his eyes when he glances over at Daniel every five minutes, and his lips when he licks them because he finds that Daniel is still staring at him.

For some reason, he likes making Jihoon nervous. Especially when it’s this easy.

When class is over, Daniel packs up and then heads out with Jihoon. He flops an arm around his shoulder and Jihoon eases into his side like he was made to be there. Daniel’s plan isn’t to walk him all the way home, but he doesn’t want to say bye just yet, either.

They pass a small ice cream shop, and he points. “You want some dessert?”

“I have some ice cream at home, though.” A pause. A flush. “Do you want to just have some at my house?”

“Wow, an invitation to come over? I’ll take it.”

So instead of giving him a hug in front of his door and then heading home, Jihoon gestures Daniel inside and then follows him in the turn on the lights. They take their shoes off and put slippers on. Daniel notices the other pair.

“Your roommate’s not home?” he asks.

“No, Woojin’s rarely here anymore. Boyfriend and all. You can put your stuff anywhere. I’ve got vanilla, chocolate, and caramel twist. Usually I do one scoop—”

“Of each?” Daniel finishes, grinning. “Me too. Which one’s your bedroom?”

Jihoon gives him a small glare as he pulls out two bowls from the cabinet. “Why. It’s the one down the hall on the right. Bathroom’s at the end of the hall. Excuse the mess. I didn’t know I was having company, and when I invited you over, I wasn’t thinking you’d want to poke around my shit.”

“Why wouldn’t I want to poke around your shit?” Daniel laughs his way down the hall after Jihoon throws a spoon at him and misses. “So violent. So the one on the right…” He opens the door to a perfectly clean room, though the bed’s a little messy. Like he just rolled right out of it this morning and didn’t look back. He has a pile of dirty clothes in his hamper, but at least it’s not on the floor.

He has an overwhelming urge to flop onto Jihoon’s bed, but he resists. Especially when Jihoon presses a cold bowl into his spine.

“We’re not eating ice cream in my room.”

“Your bed sure looks comfortable though.” Daniel takes the bowl from him, a spoon already dipped into the ice cream.

“We haven’t even had our first date and you’re trying to get into my bed, hyung? Tsk.” Despite the reprimand, Jihoon is red and won’t meet his eyes. He turns and heads back down the hall. “We’re eating in the living room.”

“Fine, we’ll have it your way.”

“It’s the only way, hyung.” Jihoon plops down on the couch and sets the bowl on his knee so he can turn the TV on. “Anything you want to watch?”

Daniel sits next to him. “Did you catch the new Game of Thrones?” he asks before taking his first bite. Heaven.

Jihoon grimaces. “I’ve been meaning to watch it.”

“What? You haven’t seen Game of Thrones? And you’re a living human being?” Daniel takes the remote and looks for HBO on demand so he can find the first episode. “You need to watch it. Or you’ll soon be dead to me.”

“Oh, wow, alright. I know a death threat when I hear one. Episode one, here we go.” Jihoon slouches back into his count and balances the bowl on his stomach.

Once the episode starts, Daniel finishes off his bowl then leans back so he can put an arm around Jihoon. He settles in next to him because that’s where he belongs. But for some reason, Daniel has an image of Jihoon sitting between him and Seongwoo as they force him to marathon the entire thing without sleep.

That can’t be reality, though, because Daniel’s pretty sure he’s in too deep to watch love blossom between Seongwoo and Jihoon and he has a feeling that Seongwoo might feel the same way about watching Daniel and Jihoon.

The first episode ends, and when Daniel turns to ask if Jihoon wants to watch another, he finds Jihoon’s already looking at him, studying him. His gaze drifts from his eyes to his lips. Daniel doesn’t need anything more than that. He leans over and kisses him. Jihoon’s tongue is sweet with ice cream still, and he’s precise and patient and responsive.

It’s Jihoon who grasps the front of Daniel’s shirt and tugs him closer, but it’s Daniel who slides Jihoon onto his lap and moves his hands under his shirt. Daniel doesn’t want to stop kissing, but going too far with Jihoon would be bad in so many fucking ways that he can’t even count them all.

It’s Jihoon who pulls away. His lips are swollen and his cheeks are flushed. “Sorry.”

“Sorry?” Daniel moves some of Jihoon’s hair out of his face. “For what? I was kissing you, too.”

“Because I have no idea what I’m doing.” His voice shakes a little and he’s breathless.

“Hey.” Daniel takes Jihoon’s face into his hands. “What do you mean? That was a fucking amazing kiss. You were great. You are great.”

“No—I mean. With this. Um.” He covers Daniel’s hands with his own and tries to pry them away from his face. He’s not meeting Daniel’s gaze anymore. “Saturday. Can we talk about it tomorrow? Like over text? Where’s your phone?”

Daniel lifts his hips a bit—intentionally into Jihoon’s and he watches him chew at his lips because of it—to grab his phone from his back pocket. He passes it over, and Jihoon puts his contact information in and texts himself so he has Daniel’s number.

“I’m looking forward to our date,” Daniel says. He gives Jihoon a kiss on the forehead, then moves him off his lap. “I’ll head out. Have a good night?”

Jihoon runs a hand through his hair and nods. “You, too, hyung.”

It takes Daniel about half an hour to get home by bus, not including wait time. It goes by like it’s five minutes, though, because all he can think about is Jihoon’s disheveled hair and kiss-swollen lips and his confession that he doesn’t know what he’s doing.

Could he have possibly meant that he didn’t know what he was doing with Daniel and Seongwoo?

When Daniel gets home, it takes him a full minute to realize Seongwoo’s in the living room. And his roommate cocks an eyebrow at him for it.

“What’s up, hyung?” Daniel asks him, totally casual, and prays to God that Seongwoo doesn’t ask him any questions.

Seongwoo doesn't take the hint—probably willfully. “Where were you that’s got you so distracted?”

He freezes. Fuck. What does he say? Does he lie? He can’t lie. But would the truth hurt him? He doesn’t want to hurt Seongwoo. That’s one of the absolute last things he wants to do, along with hurting Jihoon or getting hurt himself.

He clears his throat. He pulls open the fridge and hides his face in its cool deapths because he doesn’t want to see the look of pain that will flash across Seongwoo’s face. “Jihoon’s.”

“Oh.”

“I’m sorry, hyung.” Daniel finally closes the fridge door, beer in hand. He leans against it. Seongwoo deserves to know the truth. “Just one thing led to another and we sort of just kissed.” A lot but some things are better left unsaid, too.

“Yeah, it’s fine.” Seongwoo tosses a hand at him. Wait, what. “I made out with him before his last class. We’re even. We’ve almost done with the steaming pile of shit that is Iron Fist. Let’s finish so we can finally watch The Defenders.”

Oh. So that’s why Jihoon came into the room, left right away, then came back looking like that. Like he’d just been kissed. Why’d he look at Daniel before leaving though?

Daniel swallows hard, but it’s not like it isn’t fair that Jihoon kissed them both. They are both pursuing him. They did both ask him out. And as far as Daniel knows, they’ve both been going out of their way to spend more time with him. They’re clearly both sending Jihoon signals that they like him as more than friends, and kissing is what you do with people who you’d like to be more than friends with.

Maybe that’s why he apologized? Jihoon knows they’re best friends. He sees them together very MWF. He has to know that they talked about asking him out with each other, but now he has two best friends pursuing him and it’s not so crazy to think that maybe Jihoon doesn’t know what the fuck he’s doing.

Daniel takes a big breath and cracks open his beer.

“Why’d we wait so long to watch Iron Fist anyway?” He sits next to Seongwoo and then drapes his legs across his roommate’s lap. He lifts his can for a toast.

Seongwoo clicks his can against Daniel’s. “It was your idea, and I agree it was stupid. But we’re stuck with it now so let’s get it over with.” He rests his arms on Daniel’s shins. “And Loras Tyrell—I mean Finn Jones—is hot so.”

Daniel laughs and pushes everything out of his head but existing on this couch with his best friend watching the shittiest Marvel series to date.

 

 

 

_...ꜰʀɪᴅᴀʏ 10:51ᴀᴍ_

Unfortunately, Iron Fist was just bad enough that Seongwoo had nothing to do the last three episodes except think and he didn’t want to think. The fuck did Jihoon mean by saying he’d kiss him in case he didn’t get another chance? Does he know about his bet with Daniel? Does he know they won’t both seriously pursue him? Has he already chosen between them?

Has Jihoon already chose Daniel?

Is that why he invited Daniel over to his house? How far did they go? How can Daniel sit on the couch beside him and just be himself so easily when it probably won’t be like this ever again if Seongwoo loses Daniel to Jihoon?

His hand slides to his throat to massage the lump that forms behind his Adam’s Apple. Why does that bother him so much?

And it’s not like he’d really lose Daniel to Jihoon. He lives with the damn man. They always have at least one class together. They’re bonded for life. Jaehwan and Minhyun had both broken up with him because he spent “too much” time with his best friend. That’ll probably be what tears Daniel and Jihoon apart.

Fuck, why is he thinking of their break up when they aren’t even together yet?

Jihoon enters the classroom with his friend and he sends a little smile in Daniel and Seongwoo’s direction. Seongwoo used to think those glances were for him, but now it’s obvious it’s for both of them. And he’s not wearing his smile like it’s some easy thing. It looks forced. He looks away so quick and concentrates so hard during class that it puts a rock in Seongwoo’s stomach.

If Daniel and Jihoon get together and then they break up because Daniel spends too much time with Seongwoo, wouldn’t that hurt Jihoon, too? He doesn’t want that, either.

What are the three of them doing?

When the lecture ends, Seongwoo knows exactly what he needs to do. He tells Daniel he’ll meet him at home and then manages to casually follow Jihoon out of the room and down the hall far enough that Daniel won’t catch them when he goes to leave.

“Jihoon. Do you have a minute?”

The boy Jihoon always sits next to turns first, almost like he was expecting Seongwoo to follow and he was fucking prepared. “We have another class after this. You’ll need to find another time.” Then he forces out, “ _Hyung_.”

Seongwoo ignores him. “Jihoon.”

“It’s fine, Woojin.” Jihoon sets a hand on Woojin’s forearm when he faces Seongwoo. He speaks quickly but genuinely. "I’m sorry, hyung. I really can’t talk because the classroom is across campus and the professor marks us absent if we’re late and I have classes until late, but I want to talk, too. To both of you. Woojin’s boyfriend is having a party at his house tonight. I’ll text you the details later. Can you come? Can we talk then?”

“Text us. I’ll see what Daniel wants to do.”

Something flashes across Jihoon’s face that Seongwoo can’t read, but this Woojin dude starts pulling Jihoon away. “Great,” Jihoon says, but he doesn’t look like he means it. “Hopefully, I’ll see you both later. Sorry, hyung.”

Why does he have to apologize so much? It makes Seongwoo feels like he’s doing something wrong, and he’s pretty sure he’s not this time.

 

 

 

_...ꜰʀɪᴅᴀʏ 9:39ᴘᴍ_

Jihoon isn’t the first to notice Seongwoo and Daniel at the party. It’s Woojin. He gives Jihoon’s arm a few nudges, then tips his chin over in their direction, and Jihoon immediately looks for a place to hide.

“No.” Woojin grabs his elbow. “No hiding. And no whining. You told them you’d talk to them and here they are. So go talk to them. Tell them they need to quit fucking around with you.”

“They’re not.” Jihoon manages to slide into Woojin’s shadow enough that he doesn’t think Seongwoo or Daniel will notice him. “That’s not what they’re doing. Isn’t that what I’m doing?”

Woojin gives him a shove. “What? Stop blaming yourself. Now go talk to them.”

“Just. Give me a few. Please.”

Although Woojin rolls his eyes, he doesn’t move. He motions Hyungseob over, who he gives a kiss on the cheek before discussing some small party details like _how’re we doing on food and alcohol and do we need to ask someone to get more and is the cat doing okay upstairs and how’re we going to keep people from having sex in our bedrooms and why didn’t we think about hiring a professional cleaner for tomorrow morning_.

Jihoon hides within their conversion, watching Seongwoo and Daniel from the shadows. The natural way they gravitate toward each other, understand each other without talking, know what each other needs without asking. Seongwoo grabs two beers while Daniel scans the crowd, probably looking for Jihoon, but he ducks a little more so Daniel misses him. Then Seongwoo comes back, leans against him to let him know he has his can of beer. Daniel takes it without even looking, as if the exact height that Seongwoo is holding the can is ingrained in his soul.

They are so clearly in love and Jihoon doesn’t know how they haven’t noticed. Instead, they ask Jihoon out and try to avoid the fact that they were basically made for each other. And now Jihoon is in love with both of them and the only way he can make them happy is to help them realize their feelings for each other, even if it’s at his own expense.

Seongwoo and Daniel belong to each other, and Jihoon isn’t going to fuck with that.

But god it’s going to hurt.

It’s going to hurt so fucking much.

 

 

 

_...ꜰʀɪᴅᴀʏ 9:55ᴘᴍ_

Daniel ends up finding him leaning against that guy he sits next to in class—Woojin?—who has his arm around the waist of another dude. Jihoon looks tired. He looks sad. All Daniel wants to do is cross the room and take him into his arms. He takes a step forward, but then Jihoon catches Daniel’s stare, straightens, drops his can of beer.

Woojin manages to catch it before it empties on his shoes.  He does not offer a kind look. “The fuck, Park Jihoon.”

“Sorry,” he says, his eyes not leaving Daniel. “I’ll be right back.”

He weaves through the crowd toward Daniel and Seongwoo. His eyes are glossy, maybe from alcohol. He smiles a little, but it’s lost some shine. He ducks his head.

“Hey, Seongwoo hyung and Daniel hyung,” he starts. He licks his lips, and knowing that Jihoon seems nervous beyond all fuck makes Daniel’s heart race. He takes a step forward to—to what? Comfort him? But he notices Seongwoo does, too, and that stops them both. Jihoon continues, “Thanks for coming. Do you want to talk outside? It’s a little quieter.”

“Sure,” Seongwoo presses a hand into Daniel’s back and leads him outside behind Jihoon. In his ear, he whispers, “No hard feelings, okay? Whatever happens is meant to happen.” Then he smiles, and Daniel is fucking glad Seongwoo is pressing him forward because that was a smile that could’ve stopped him in his tracks.

Daniel just nods.

Jihoon finds a small patch of grass near the bonfire in the backyard and takes a seat. The way the fire’s warm glow catches the features of his face in gold is stunning. He licks his lips again, then chews on his bottom lip as he watches Daniel and Seongwoo sit, too.

“I-I’m assuming you…” Jihoon swallows and finally turns his attention to them. “…You wanted to talk to me about… us? Well, here’s the deal.” He tries to go on, but it seems the words get stuck in his throat. He takes a drink of his beer, looks hard into the fire, then continues without looking at them again. “You two are clearly in love with each other. There really isn’t a reason to drag me into it because you two can’t realize how you feel. So I’m just telling you. You’re in fucking love.”

“No,” Seongwoo says. “I think I’d know if we were.”

“We’re just friends,” Daniel adds, though there’s something about the quickness of Seongwoo’s response that clenches his throat a little. “We’re not trying to drag you into anything. We both like you, so we decided we’d both ask you out and see which one of us you liked better.”

“What are you even saying?” Jihoon chuckles, smiles up at the night sky. “You two are in love. I see it in the way you look at each other. I see it in the way you depend on one another. I can even see it when you two aren’t attached at the hip. You’re perfect for each other. And I would know because I’m stupidly in love with both of you.”

Daniel has no idea what to say to that. Jihoon has never looked more beautiful, more vulnerable, more elusive. He’s in love with both of them and yet he’s trying to say neither of them can have him because they’re in love with each other? He wants to deny it but there’s something in him that won’t let him.

Because maybe he is in love with Seongwoo.

“Jihoon,” Seongwoo says, but it seems like he’s having a hard time finding words to deny what he said, too. He opens his mouth to try again but nothing comes out at first. Then, “I’m in love with you. What about that? And I’m pretty fucking sure Daniel loves you, too. I can see it on his stupid face. You promised me a date, at least, and I want that date.”

Jihoon draws his knees to his chest and hugs them. “That’s not fair. You can’t have each other and also have me.”

“I still have no idea what you’re talking about us being in love,” Daniel says, but the words taste like lies. “It’s not fair that I have feelings for you but you’re trying to tell me that I don’t. I do. And I want to get to know you better. That’s what dates are for.”

“I was pretty sure both of you were going to cancel on me, and now you both want to go through with it? Despite that if I ever chose one of you, it’d hurt all of us so much more than if we just stop here?” His voice sounds strained, like he’s trying not to cry. “Let’s not. Please.”

Daniel can’t argue with that, especially since it’s already clearly hurting Jihoon. How the fuck did this happen? He would’ve rather never asked Jihoon out than to hear the way his voice wavers now. “Alright.”

“What?” Seongwoo says, giving Daniel a sharp glare. “No, I’m not buying that. You say Daniel and I are in love with each other and so…what? That doesn’t mean we can’t be in love with you or that you can’t be in love with us. And maybe shit’ll fucking hurt in the end, but if it’s me in the end who’s all alone, I’m sure as fuck going to be happy for you two. That’s what I’d prefer. So what do you want us to do for you to go through with our dates tomorrow. Be real. Is there nothing?”

“That’s what I’m trying to do, hyung.” Jihoon frowns. “I’m saying I should be the one alone in the end. I want you two to be happy more than anything. Please—”

“But that’s assuming one of us isn’t going to choose you over the other.”

“Well, yeah—”

“And I’m not going to accept that.” Seongwoo shrugs. The more he argues, the tighter his face and his voice becomes, and the tighter Daniel’s chest feels. “I’ve seen the way Daniel looks at you and I’m not convinced he’s in love with me. So the dates.”

“But it’ll ruin your friendship—”

Daniel leans across Seongwoo and touches Jihoon’s hand. “Jihoon, I’ve seen the way Seongwoo looks at you, too. He’s just trying to say that you’re pretty perfect, too, and you deserve love, too, and maybe you could be happier with one of us than we could be together.”

For a moment, it seems Jihoon might give in, though Daniel has no idea why he wants him to so badly. But he clenches his jaw.

“You wanted to know what I’ll take for me to go through with our dates, then fine. I’ll go on a date with you two. One date. But I have a condition. I want you two to kiss. Like actually kiss. And then once you’re done, come find me if you still want me.”

He brushes off Daniel’s hand and doesn’t look at them as he heads back inside. It’s the way that he leaves that makes Daniel hurt. He’s fisting his hands at his sides. He’s lowering his head as he walks. His broad shoulders are pulled in. He looks so small and fragile but his presence is entirely consuming, his existence an overwhelming energy that’s spread over Daniel completely.

He does not want to let Jihoon go any more than he wants to let Seongwoo go.

 

 

 

_...ꜰʀɪᴅᴀʏ 10:01ᴘᴍ_

Seongwoo can’t believe he’s letting Jihoon walk away, but the way he leaves doesn’t give Seongwoo any room to go after him. The kid’s right and the truth burns down his throat and claws at his insides. Jaehwan and Minhyun and every other lover he’s ever had has said the same thing. Of course it wouldn’t have gone unnoticed to Seongwoo that he’s been in love with his best friend since freshman year. He just decided to forget about it because Daniel is Daniel. They are perfect friends. That doesn’t mean they’ll make perfect partners.

But he wants to try this shit out with Jihoon, too, so there’s only one answer.

“Let’s kiss.” Seongwoo turns to Daniel. He has to drag his gaze off the door Jihoon disappear through, and he looks like he’d do anything to go after him, too.

“Let’s what?”

“He told us to kiss and then we can go after him, so let’s kiss. Sit back.”

Daniel does what he’s told without asking questions, though confusion sits on his brow. Seongwoo’s about to make him even more confused. He moves onto Daniel’s lap, straddles him, takes his shirt collar into his hands, and then kisses him. At first, it’s just a kiss, and then Seongwoo deepens it.

A gasp eases out of Daniel when their tongues touch. He leans forward again, putting his hands on Seongwoo’s waist at first, then one snakes under his shirt to dig nails into his spine and the crawls up his front. Seongwoo moves against him, feels himself against Daniel and likes the sound it elicits from Daniel when he feels it, too. Does he feel it now? Does it get it now?

Seongwoo fits Daniel’s chin in his fingers and tips his head back more so he can make Daniel feel just how much he loves him, sweeping his tongue over his lips, nibbling ever so slightly on his lower lip, sucking on his tongue, and taking every gasp and moan and hiss into his mouth like it’s fuel for their fire, their shared heat, their growing passion.

“Do you get it now?” Seongwoo asks when there’s nothing more he wants to do than have Daniel’s weight on top of him and their clothes off, pressing kisses along Daniel’s cheek until his lips are at his ear. He nibbles on his earlobe, rolling his earring around his tongue and pulling gently, waiting for Daniel to answer.

Daniel groans. “G-get what?”

“I’m in love with you. Have been since we were freshmen.”

“I—I’ve been in love with you since we were freshmen, too.” Daniel’s eyes are glistening and the fire behind Seongwoo is reflecting in their depths. “But Jihoon…”

“He said we could find him if we still want him.”

Daniel shivers when Seongwoo begins trailing kisses down his neck. “D-do you, hyung?”

“I do. As much as I want you.”

“I do, too. Can we…make it work?”

Seongwoo pulls away now, but Daniel’s hands slide up and down the small of his back in a way that invites him back in. “I think we can.” Although he likes where he’s at pretty fucking much, he thinks he’ll like it more where they’ll find Jihoon, so he gets off Daniel’s lap. Daniel follows up him.

Jihoon is hiding with that dude he sits with in class, but there’s very little that could keep Seongwoo away from him right now. He moves through the crowd with Daniel’s hands on his hips, offers Jihoon’s friend a charming smile.

“I’ll be taking him.” Then he finds Jihoon’s hand, entwines their fingers, and heads deeper into the house. “Where can we go for some privacy?”

“U-uh, upstairs?”

“A bedroom. Good choice.” His hands settle on Jihoon’s waist as he directs him to and up the stairs. He leans over his shoulder and asks, “Which room?” He doesn’t miss the shudder that claims his back.

Jihoon moves to the second door on the right and opens the door. The bedroom’s empty and the light’s off. If Seongwoo had to guess, it’s probably a guest room.

“Will this work?” Jihoon asks. He puts his hands over Seongwoo’s and tries to pull them off, but Seongwoo pushes him gentle onto the bed instead.

Daniel closes the door behind them with a click. “It’s perfect.”

On the bed, Jihoon sits and looks up at both of them. He holds his hands together between his legs. “It…didn’t take you long to come find me?”

“We always knew what we wanted,” Seongwoo says. He moves to Jihoon and takes his jaw into his hands. Jihoon puts a hand over Seongwoo’s knuckles. “I want both of you.”

Jihoon frowns a little and glances behind Seongwoo to Daniel, who moves to Seongwoo’s side and leans over to press a kiss to Jihoon’s lips.

“I want both of you, too,” he says.

“But?” Jihoon looks between them. His other hand seeks Daniel’s and their fingers entwine. “But—”

“Do you want both of us?” Seongwoo asks.

He nods, licks his lips. His voice isn’t above a whisper. “Yeah.”

“Then have both of us.” Seongwoo trails his fingertips down Jihoon’s neck then rests them on his shoulders, pressing him back onto the bed. He lays next to him, runs a finger along his jaw until they’re face to face, and kisses him.

The bed dips when Daniel lays on Jihoon’s other side. Seongwoo can feel Daniel’s breath reflect off Jihoon’s skin as he kisses down his neck. Daniel’s arm might rest against Jihoon’s stomach but his hand is on Seongwoo’s hip, drawing them all much closer.

They fit together. They breathe together. They move together. They melt together.

They couldn’t have asked for anything more perfect than being in each other’s arms.

 

 

∞

**Author's Note:**

> hi this is just me getting out a few one-shots before tackling my longer works. i'll get back to them soon, i promise. feel free to follow me on [twitter](http://twitter.com/slackeuse) for fic updates/w1 spamming/etc.


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